1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

As far as we can see, it is the first time on the market for this 1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

But you probably worked that out from a glance at the images.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

The house is the work of ‘renowned’ architect Robert Clark, dating back to 1960. We don;t know much about Mr Clark, but according to the agent he is a man known for ‘connective spaces’, ‘open windows’ and ‘natural woods’. All of which come into play here.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

It’s definitely on the modernist side of midcentury from the outside, rather minimalist and angular when glanced from the front. But don’t let that put you off.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

Once inside you can enjoy the open spaces, the extensive use of wood and the floor-to-ceiling glazing. But there’s another huge selling point too – originality.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

As we said in the title, this looks like something of a time capsule. The house itself is pretty much untouched and it looks like many of the fixtures and fittings probably date from its original decade too.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

Ok, you might want to update that kitchen and perhaps the bathrooms aren’t quite up to your 2015 needs. But having so many original finishes, from the stairway and fitted furniture through to the wood-clad walls and exposed brick is definitely a plus.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

Decent amount of space too. 2,949 sq. ft. according to the agent, which includes four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The photos also show good-sized office space too, as well as a large garage, which also includes a workshop. The reception space is lovely and roomy too judging by those photos.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

Outside you get 5.2 acres, which includes your own trout fishing and lots of woodland. So privacy, you would assume, is also a plus.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

The photos tell the story far better than we can in this instance, so do check them out here and if you want more, on the listing. As for price, this vintage gem is up at $450,000, which works out at around £292,000 right now.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

Images and details courtesy of Zillow. For more images, details and to make an enquiry, please visit their website.

1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA1960s Robert Clark-designed midcentury property in Webster, New York, USA

Whether you’re waiting for a train, or have arranged to meet a friend near a mutually-handy station, you’ll want somewhere decent to get a drink. That’s why we’ve made this list of pubs near central London train stations. Every pub listed is less than a seven-minute jog from bar to platform. Some of them are on the platform.

Paddington

If you’ve got a half an hour or so before a train departs, walk 15 minutes to the delightful Warwick Castle. Enjoy a half by the canals of Little Venice, then jog back in time for your train.

For an even swifter swift half, stay on the concourse — or, rather, a floor or two above it. Fuller’s Mad Bishop and Bear isn’t the kind of place you’d make a diversion to, but it’s perfectly good for a quickie.

Pint to platform: one-minute jog

Marylebone

You can find a lovely pre-journey pint if you’re heading out to the Chilterns, but you’ll have to take a bit of a wander to do so. The Allsop Arms is the nearest pub to Marylebone station — barely a street away — but it’s nothing special, unfortunately while The Perseverance, two streets away, no longer operates.

For a really tasty pint, you’ll have to go a little further. The Thornbury Castle is a lovely boozer, if you’ll allow that it’s the south side of the Marylebone Road. Pints are quite expensive (as you might expect from the location) but the selection of ales is outstanding. Atmosphere and service are also beyond the call of duty. If you’ve got a knack for getting the traffic lights to turn just at the right moment, you’ll be fine.

Pint to platform: seven-minute jog

Euston Tap

Euston

The Euston Tap is frequently rated one of London’s best pubs — quite a compliment for a (almost) railway pub. Although it’s tiny, the beer selection is brilliant. The matching Cider Tap, in the lodge house opposite, does a similar thing for that beverage.

Pint to platform: three-minute jog

King’s Cross St Pancras

There are two station pubs to choose from here, but Parcel Yard comes with a slightly higher recommendation than the Betjeman Arms. A Fuller’s pub, it’s got loads of space, and the beer and service are both very good. Plus, you can watch the trains depart from one of the windows if you like that sort of thing.

If you’ve got more time, you could sally up the Caledonian Road to the small but characterful King Charles I, but then you really better had leg it back — and, given how cosy that place is and what good tunes they play, you won’t want to.

Pint to platform: two-minute jog

Moorgate

Oh dear. No wonder so many City types love to jog — they’ve probably had loads of practice pegging it from the Jugged Hare to catch the last train back to Hertfordshire. The Artillery Arms is good if you like a Guinness. But both of those are a brisk 10-minute walk from the National Rail platforms (or the same distance to Old Street, where you can usually pick your train up a minute or two after it leaves Moorgate).

But The Globe on the corner of City Road and London Wall is not bad, and is definitely the nearest pub to the station. A Nicholson’s boozer, there’s plenty of room to stand out front if it’s sunny, or you’re smoking, and it’s got two bars so service isn’t as slow as in neighbouring pubs.

Pint to platform: three-minute jog

Liverpool Street

You lucky pubgoers. There’s a busy Wetherspoon (the Hamilton Hall) right on your doorstep (a one-minute stroll to the platforms), as well as gorgeous Spitalfields pubs like The Ten Bells and the Pride of Spitalfields (both a 10-minute walk).

For somewhere nearby that’s a cut above the ‘Spoons, walk down Old Broad Street and visit The Lord Aberconway, a well-kept Nicholson’s pub that’s popular with local commuters and has a wide-ranging ale selection.

Fenchurch Street

The East India Arms is a cosy corner pub with a wooden interior. It’s predictably expensive but if you’ve got £4 in your pocket and half an hour before the last train to Shoebury, they do a nice pint of Whitstable Pale.

It’s closed on weekends though, in which case we recommend the Bavarian Beerhouse, which is open til 1am on Fridays and Saturdays (and still has a photo on the wall from the time Jared Hasselhoff of the Bloodhound Gang visited. Us neither.)

Pint to platform: one-minute jog

London Bridge

Pubgoing commuters are spoiled for choice at London Bridge, but The Miller and the Market Porter are both exceptional pubs in their own, very different, rights.

The Market Porter has the edge though. You can stay out all night and grab a breakfast beer until 8.30am because of its license for market traders. Great, eh? (What do you mean breakfast beer isn’t a thing?)

Pint to platform: three-minute jog (avoiding Borough Market)

The Market Porter

Cannon Street

Grab a table at Fuller’s pub The Banker and enjoy the Thamesside views just a stone’s throw from the station.

You might also want to try a newly-opened joint called The Pelt Trader, run by the same people as the Euston Tap - but obviously there’s none of the view, and it’s City prices. It does serve pizza, though…

Pint to platform: three-minute walk (either pub)

Blackfriars

If you’re north of the Thames-spanning platform at London Blackfriars station, which you probably are, choose your pub wisely. Shaws Booksellers, whilst expensive, has loads of tables and the beer is superb. They have lovely fancy Belgian beers as well as a nice selection of wines. The famous Blackfriar pub is also worth a visit for its incredible interior.

On the south side of the Thames, the Founder’s Arms has one of the best bar-side views of the Thames in Zone 1, even if it is pig ugly on the outside.

Pint to platform: two-minute jog (either pub)

Charing Cross

Depending on how fast you can run, you could opt for The Harp — a much lauded ale pub on Chandos Place — but if you break a sweat climbing on a bar stool, head to The Ship & Shovell. It’s lovely old pub that’s a bit quieter than anywhere on Villiers Street, and space inside to sit. It also has the distinction of being the only London pub split over two completely separate buildings. Mind that it’s closed Sundays, though.

To get to Charing Cross mainline station, run under the arches and take the stairs from Villiers Street. The four platforms will be on your left.

Pint to platform: one-minute sprint

The Harp

Waterloo/Waterloo East

Tucked out of the way on Roupell Street near the old worker’s terraces, The King’s Arms is a brilliant pub just two streets away from Waterloo. It’s an award-winning independent with loads of real ales (some from London breweries) and it also does Thai food. The pub’s also a great alternative to the South Bank proper, if you’ve done that to death a bit.

Pint to platform: four-minute jog

Victoria

In the midst of Victoria’s hustle-bustle, there’s a wilderness of pubs. Yes, there’s a Wetherspoon on the concourse, but it’s not terribly big, and if you have to sit outside in the winter it’s freezing. Plus, no smoking area. (Not sure it has a name, either.)

Real ale fans can while away a good evening at the peerlessly stocked CASK Pub & Kitchen on Tachbrook Street but it’s a 10-minute walk into Pimlico, so probably only worth if you’re having more than one.

The Windsor Castle (formerly The Cardinal) round the back of Westminster Cathedral is a little bit nearer, and it’s Sam Smith’s. A pint of bitter here costs £2.90.

Pint to platform: five-minute jog

Where’s your favourite place to pop in for a pint before your train pulls out? Let us know in the comments. You should also probably check out our extensive London pub database.

Until 31st October 2015, Pace London presents its first solo exhibition of work by Korean-born artist Lee Ufan. The exhibition follows Ufan’s 2014 solo exhibition at Château de Versailles. Lee Ufan is a founding member of Mono-ha (“Object School”) and mediates on gesture and nature. The artist developed seven major series throughout his career, four of which respectively titled From Point, From Line, From Winds and With Winds form the major focus of Pace London’s exhibition. This video provides you with a tour of the exhibition on the occasion of the private view and book launch on the 15th October 2015.

Not too far our of Gothenburg is this rather stylish 1960s architect-designed modernist property in Trollasen, Sweden. It is on the market too.

1960s architect-designed modernist property in Trollasen, Sweden

The house dates from 1961 and has obviously benefited from very sympathetic owners over the subsequent 50+ years. All the details ate still in place, with a splash of modern-day style adding something to the pot too.

1960s architect-designed modernist property in Trollasen, Sweden

It is a two-storey property that looks to have been built into a hill, with the main entrance and the garage accessed from the upper level, while the main living accommodation looks out onto the garden. A good view too with all the extensive glazing too. You can also see the sea, which is in walking distance of the house if you want more.

1960s architect-designed modernist property in Trollasen, Sweden

Inside is a midcentury Scandinavian dream. Bright, open plan and with all that original details either intact or in keeping.. Wood ceilings (and some walls), vintage-style kitchen (mixing original units with modern tweaks), Scandi light fittings and spiral staircase. The coolest office you will see this week too.

1960s architect-designed modernist property in Trollasen, Sweden

But not a museum. There are a lot of modern touches and finishes too, adding some contemporary Scandinavian flair to the original 1960s pieces. If you can’t afford to buy it, you can use it as inspiration for your own place.

1960s architect-designed modernist property in Trollasen, Sweden

In terms of the living space, a tile hall takes you into heart of the house, where you will find the open plan kitchen and living room which also offers access to the patio. There is a further living room on the ground floor and a terrace, which is where you’ll find those sea views. Upstairs from there are two bedrooms and a bathroom.

1960s architect-designed modernist property in Trollasen, Sweden

There’s also a lower floor, which is accessed via the spiral staircase. That’s currently laid out with a living room and a large office that should make your time at a computer screen a joy. Also here are ‘two possible’ bedrooms, one of which accesses the garden. A laundry room and bathroom finishes things off.

1960s architect-designed modernist property in Trollasen, Sweden

It’s our idea of a dream house and if it is yours, the price is 4,800,000KR, which is around £372,000.

1960s architect-designed modernist property in Trollasen, Sweden

Images and details courtesy of Fastighetsbyran. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.

Had a feeling this had been covered in the past, but the archives say it was a different, but similar property. It wouldn’t matter anyway, as this 1960s Harley Sherlock-designed modernist townhouse in London N6 has recently been refurbished, so worth a new shout regardless.

1960s Harley Sherlock-designed modernist townhouse in London N6

The word ‘refurbished’ isn’t one we always like to see when it comes to mid-20th century modernism, but to be fair to the current owner, we are struggling to see where new starts and old ends (with the obvious exceptions) on with this Southwood House Estate property. A sympathetic job for sure.

1960s Harley Sherlock-designed modernist townhouse in London N6

That means you can enjoy this early ‘60s design from the Andrews, Emerson, Sherlock & Keable practice without dealing with the plumbing and cooking space of the same era. No bad thing. There’s also been some rewiring and replumbing here, along with underfloor heating, upgraded glazing

1960s Harley Sherlock-designed modernist townhouse in London N6

Anyway, the house is much the same in size, which means internal space of around 1,400 sq. ft. over its three floors. As for features, the large windows and their frames are definitely a selling point, as well as the open living spaces, the balconies, the internal doors and the original open tread staircase.

1960s Harley Sherlock-designed modernist townhouse in London N6

Enter the house via the entrance hall (with guest cloakroom) and you’ll be met with the open-plan kitchen and reception room, which runs from the front to the back, opening onto the garden.

1960s Harley Sherlock-designed modernist townhouse in London N6

Head to the first floor and you’ll see a reception room at the rear and a bedroom with en-suite shower room at the front. More bedrooms are on the second floor – three in total plus a family bathroom. The master bedroom also has balcony access.

1960s Harley Sherlock-designed modernist townhouse in London N6

The house also has a front garden with off-street parking for two cars, with a private garden with brick paving and decking at the rear. A nice bonus leading on from there too, which is the rather lovely communal gardens.

1960s Harley Sherlock-designed modernist townhouse in London N6

£1,495,000 is the asking price.

1960s Harley Sherlock-designed modernist townhouse in London N6

Images and details courtesy of The Modern House. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit their website.

Ian Fieggen’s OFFICIAL “Ian Knot” tutorial video. Teaches how to tie your shoes super fast with a knot that has the same or better security than the two other most common shoelace knots. Besides being faster, the Ian Knot is also more symmetrical, works equally for right or left handed people, and has fewer steps to memorize, all of which make it easier to learn. I hope you try the “Ian Knot”, the world’s fastest shoelace knot…(Read…)

Noticed lately in high-end projects: appealing dark wood countertops, finished with a sheen. Here’s how to get the look for less.

The Inspiration

There’s a lot to like about this kitchen by UK designer Patrick Williams of Berdoulat; the polished dark wood countertops, the wall-mounted dish rack painted white, and the sparkly glass pendant lights.

Above: A kitchen by Patrick Williams of Berdoulat in London has a pleasing mix of warm and cool, glossy and matte surfaces.

Above: The dark wood countertops contrast with the pale walls and the clear glass light fixtures.

Above: The space is traditional yet feels modern in its pared-down simplicity.

Above: Catherine of In the Fields, a blog documenting one family’s adventures in remodeling, spent $240 on countertop materials in her kitchen, including an $80 slab of Ikea butcher block finished with a Safecoat food-safe stain in cedar; for more info, go to In the Fields.

Ada Egloff and Rick Banister bought their Victorian row house in South Philly for a steal back in 2007, when they were fresh out of college: “Philadelphia real estate: How is the secret not yet out?” she asks. They’ve been chipping away at their place themselves ever since. And though neither came to the project with remodeling experience, they each brought talents to the table: A former vintage clothing store owner and buyer for Anthropologie, Ada runs Young Ladies, a brand-consulting agency that fosters young design companies. She has the eye and knows how to source what she’s after. Rick is a UX (user experience) designer at Automattic who works on WordPress, and happens to be a hobbyist woodworker.

“The house had great bones—all original moldings, stained glass—but the 1990s kitchen was a nightmare,” she says: “Drop ceilings with missing tiles, beige linoleum floors, and flimsy oak veneer cabinetry. But we left it until we had saved just enough to do it right.” They gutted the room the summer of 2012, only to discover plumbing problems in that drop ceiling that derailed plans for the next six months

Finally back on track, they built out the kitchen over the course of many, many weekends, nights, and vacations, hand chiseling out the old tile and keeping a close watch on expenses every step of the way. Now complete with soapstone counters built from remnants and a secondhand Viking found on Craigslist, the kitchen is all that they had hoped. Total budget? “Since we tackled so much of the work ourselves, we were able to do it for under $20k,” says Ada.

After

Surprise detail? The floor looks like slate but is actually hardwearing porcelain tile found at Earthstone Tile Works in Philadelphia for about $6.50 per square foot.

Above: The space is about 200 square feet, and Ada calls the layout “a U with a little extra something—sort of a G.” Of the setup she explained: “Workspace flow was really important. We do a lot of cooking and entertaining, and wanted to be able to move easily from sink to stove, and from island to fridge. We also wanted to maximize under-counter storage so we could avoid upper cabinets and keep the space feeling open and light. As it turns out, we have more storage than we even need with just one floating shelf around the perimeter of the room.”

Above: Rick built the cabinets with the help of their friend Tim Lewis, a builder/furniture designer who has his own Philadelphia studio. “The task of making them on our own would have been really daunting.” They’re birch plywood and have MDF fronts with hardwood-edge banding. The bin pulls are from Horten Brasses and the knobs from Restoration Hardware. (For more ideas, see 10 Easy Pieces: Bin Pulls.)

Ada and Rick bought the Viking range from a local seller on Craigslist—”it needed some updating and parts, but it was a steal at $500,” she says. The stainless exhaust hood is Ikea’s $399 Luftig.

Above: The farmhouse sink is made by Alfie and has an Essen Single-Handle Pull-Down Faucet. Prepping the walls before they could be painted and tiled took some doing: “Two of the walls are structural, so we had to carefully chisel off the original early 1900s subway tile that was underneath the 1990s renovation,” Rick told us. “I wish it had been salvageable because they just don’t make tile like that these days, but much of it was damaged, so it had to go. We then had to wire mesh and reapply the masonry layers to those walls before we could plaster and tile. It was a grueling few weeks, but a good workout.”

Above: The new subway tile is Daltile’s three-by-six-inch Rittenhouse Square design in a semigloss with gray grout and the counters are soapstone: “By purchasing cutoffs and seconds and cutting them ourselves, we got a deal at $15/square foot.” The espresso maker is a Gaggia Classic, and the yellow mixer is from KitchenAid’s Artisan Series 5. (See more options in 10 Easy Pieces: Kitchen Stand Mixers.) The orange teapot is vintage Danish.

Above: A black walnut island serves as both a prep area, grocery unloading station (the fridge stands opposite), and table. In addition to designing and creating it, Rick built the paneled ceiling and milled trim to match the original in the rest of the house. “The plywood ceiling panels come from the dance floor Rick and my father built for our wedding,” says Ada. “We used three-inch poplar strips to emulate that old English tavern style.”

Of the overall palette, she says, “We stuck with neutrals—white, gray and black, save for the black walnut island, which brings some warmth to the room. We wanted to have a workspace that would double as an eating area for breakfast and casual dinners, and we forfeited the potential storage space of an island for the open and airy feeling of a table.”

Above: The soapstone used on the island is heavily veined: “When we rub the counters with mineral oil, the peach and mint color in the stone really shines through,” says Ada. “And we like that each piece has its own character.”

Above: The side-by-side refrigerator, positioned so it’s convenient but not prominent, is Ikea’s Nutid, and the built-in microwave next to it is also from Ikea’s Nutid line. (For advice and more ideas, go to 10 Easy Pieces: Built-In Microwaves.) “We were really surprised by the quality of Ikea’s appliances, including our dishwasher,” says Ada. “So far, they’ve served us really well.” The storage cupboards over the fridge are used for “dog food, paper towels, baking sheets, weird roasting pans that don’t fit anywhere else.”

Before

Above: “The place was dingy and came with pests we had to get under control.”

Above: The first weekend of demolition.

Above: Peeling back the layers revealed damaged wallpaper and subway tile. “We wanted to modernize the space but keep the overall vibe true to the earliest kitchen this house would have had.”

Terrazzo Patterns

Dual-Purpose Furniture

Above: Furniture that does double duty: charges devices, for instance, or includes built-in storage as in the Planks Collection (shown) by Max Lamb for Benchmark, introduced last week at the London Design Festival.

Black Tapware in the Kitchen and Bath

Midcentury Brand Revivals

Above: In Sausalito, Robert Young has relaunched his father’s groovy lighting collection. In London, John Lewis has just reissued Robin and Lucienne Day’s stackable polyside chair. Stay tuned for more comebacks.

Pittsburgh Is the New Portland

Above: The Ace Hotel is opening an outpost in Pittsburgh in late 2015 in the East Liberty neighborhood (once home to steel magnates such as the Fricks, the Carnegies, and the Mellons). Google opened an office in 2010, the Andy Warhol Museum is nearby, and Ace is calling it “the Sleeper City.”

Artisanal Glass

Above: Is glass the new pottery? We think so; we’re all assembling collections of handblown vases and more.

A new wave of entrepreneurs is taking on Ikea, cutting out the middlemen and offering locally made flat pack furniture direct to consumers and, in some cases, at below-Ikea prices.

Artifox

Sarah Carpenter and Dan Mirth, the St. Louis-based founders of Artifox, are “devoted to rethinking home and office products; our mission is to merge technology with the art of handcrafted goods.” The idea for the company came about after the two found themselves frustrated with the choices in office furniture; “the new mobile lifestyle requires products with multiple functions.”

Above: The Desk01 in maple is made in the US from solid maple hardwood and includes a built-in mobile charging station, a storage cabinet for cables and drives, a removable powder-coated writing surface, and aircraft-grade aluminum hardware; $1,800 (it’s also available in walnut for $2,000).

Above: The Standing Desk01 in maple is $2,000 (in walnut it’s $2,200). The company also offers an elegant wall-mounted Bicycle Rack in maple or walnut for $250.

Biggs & Quail

London-based Will Biggs and Sean Quail met at school and have been friends and collaborators ever since. In 2013, “dissatisfied with poor design of mainstream furniture,” they launched Biggs & Quail, a furniture company with “a focus on enduring quality, practicality, and elegant simplicity.”

Campaign Living

What happens when an Apple engineer who’s worked on the design of the iPhone goes furniture shopping? Brad Sewell, the founder of just-launched furniture company Campaign, was a student at the Harvard Business School when he discovered how grim the marketplace is for midpriced furniture. Sewell left B-School to found Campaign, a flatpack upstart offering a three-piece suite of slipcovered furniture, with prices starting at $495. “We make furniture that lives, moves, and grows with you” is his company’s mantra. “Clean lines, classic proportions.”

Above: Campaign offers an Armchair for $495, a two-seater Loveseat for $745, and a three-seater Sofa for $995. Pre-orders will ship in November 2015; go to Campaign to reserve.

Above: The packaging can be reused when you move.

Greycork

Founded by an earnest group of RISD grads and a product designer, Greycork aims to provide you with a “living room shipped in a box,” with pieces made of solid ash wood with foam cushions covered in polyester. The Greycork Living Room Set includes a sofa ($450) and chaise ($300), coffee table ($125), side table ($75), and bookshelf ($180).

Above: The team describes the aesthetics as “Japanese American”; the pieces are constructed from ash and fiberboard, with polyester upholstery. To preorder, go to Greycork (deliveries are projected for December 2015).

Whackpack Furniture

Bucks New University design graduate Brendan Magennis founded Whackpack Furniture in response to the “nomadic lifestyles and shrinking apartment sizes” of his generation. The furniture requires no screws or glue and can be assembled with “just a few hearty whacks of a mallet,” he says. The project is still in Kickstarter mode but looks poised to take off.

Above: Using a Japanese woodworking technique called a “hell joint,” Magennis designed a small line of tables and stools that be easily assembled (and disassembled).

Throw out all the rules; here are 17 examples of the next wave in kitchen design, which we pegged as an emerging trend in last week’s post 15 Interiors Trends for Autumn 2015 (a reader agreed with us: “I’m all over this trend. Perfect looks suburban.”).

Above: The kitchen at The Apartment in SoHo, NYC, is composed of stainless steel restaurant components. Photo by Thomas Welch via Selectism.

This article explains how Trump has decided to call Jeb Bush a “low energy” candidate.

That’s a linguistic kill shot. If you live to be a hundred, you will never see a better linguistic move.

No candidate can recover from the low-energy label. Trump ended Bush with two words. Now, even if Trump stumbles, Bush won’t be the one that surges to the front. From now on, Bush’s campaign hat is an anvil.

You might think I am exaggerating. Politicians label opponents all the time. Usually the labels have to do with policies, personality, intelligence, or experience. And usually those labels are glancing blows, at best.

But no candidate ever launched a “low-energy” criticism before. That’s a kill shot. You don’t wash that off. It is a variant of the High Ground Maneuver because Trump is saying that even if Bush and Trump had the same policies, the choice is still clear. You want the guy who isn’t going to be napping for four years.

And remember your visuals. Jeb looks like a low-energy guy. Take away Trump’s “low energy” label and Bush might seem like a calm, cool, rational executive – exactly what this country needs in these crazy times.

You don’t see linguistic kill shots that often. This one was engineered. Do you want to hear another example of a linguistic kill shot that you probably never noticed in the past?

When Clinton/Gore were running for reelection against Dole/Kemp, the big topic was Kemp’s “supply-side economics” idea that you could cut taxes and goose the economy enough to make up the difference in tax collections. Clinton and Gore were helpless against supply-side economics because it sounded to voters like free money. Who doesn’t want to cut their taxes and make more money too?

How do you defend against the promise of more money for nothing? Clinton and Gore had no way to counter it. You couldn’t argue it on economic grounds because the voters were not sophisticated enough to follow along. Nor would voters be swayed by experts. And supply-side economics was the big topic of the election.

So Gore used a linguistic kill shot. If you remember your campaign history, he started labeling Kemp’s supply-side economics as a “risky plan” for an economy that was doing reasonably okay. The media sprayed the word “risky” all over the headlines after the first time Gore used it in a debate. Clinton started using it too, since the word was getting traction.

Older voters with one eye on retirement, or already retired, have no appetite for risk. And they know that any big, new economic plan comes with risk. You cannot argue risk. Risk was the Higher Ground. It was the kill shot.

Supply-side economics largely died that election cycle, give or take some later death spasms. Thanks to one word. And the word was engineered for that purpose.

Do you get a sense for how powerful this stuff is? A word or two changes history.

If you are following along with my Trump analyses, you know I try to make predictions so you can check my work. It is easy to overlay an interpretation on the past (as I just did). Predicting the future is harder, and thus a better way for you to check my interpretation of events against prediction.

My new prediction is that when Trump gets serious about eviscerating Hillary Clinton he will engineer a similar High Ground label that has little to do with her policies. It might even be open to interpretation so all of her haters see what they want to see.

Watch me engineer a linguistic kill shot for Trump to use against Hillary Clinton.

Trump: “America needs credibility”

See what I did there?

Credibility is the high ground. It ignores policy differences. Core republicans will obviously agree that Clinton is a “liar” in their words. So the message works for them. That part is easy.

The hard part, and the reason these words have to be engineered, is that you need to appeal to both sides with the same words. And “credibility” does that. Even supporters of Clinton – people who love everything she says and does – have to agree that her credibility has eroded because of all the email scandal noise.

And what about Trump? Is he credible by contrast?

Look for all the stories already printed about Trump being a handshake agreement guy. If you work in the business world, that is the highest standard of credibility.

Let me put it this way. Ignore your thoughts about Trump’s and Hillary Clinton’s policies and personalities for a minute. If you had to make a verbal agreement with both of them, which one do you think has the higher odds of doing as promised?

Trump already said he hates the Iran nuke deal but will enforce it because he honors deals. The man is bulletproof on that dimension, so he will take the argument to the dimension where he wins every time.

The word “credibility” resonates with every adult. And it hasn’t been overused in the context of politics so it carries no unintended baggage. We all want credibility, period. The word is clean and powerful.

Don’t worry about Trump using the word credibility to win. I ruined that option by using it in this blog and creating a paper trail to a cartoonist. Trump will need another approach.

Now you know how to engineer a linguistic kill shot.

1. Find a word that is “clean” from historical political baggage (examples: risky, low-energy, credibility).

2. Choose a word that moves people to High Ground concepts where you are relatively strong and your opponent has a weakness, ignoring the smaller issues that are the topics of all disagreements.

Examples:

Low ground: Cut taxes —> High ground: Risky

Low ground: Immigration policy —> High ground: Low-energy guy

Low Ground: Clinton’s policies —> High Ground: credibility

In my corporate days I used the High Ground maneuver to “win” any meeting I needed to win. Unlike most methods of persuasion that have more of a statistical power, perhaps influencing 20% of a crowd, the High Ground maneuver works instantly, every time, and on every person. (In my personal experience.)

As soon as I recognized that tool in Trump’s toolbox, I predicted he would win it all. He was going into a stick fight with a bazooka. Most of you only saw sticks. Trained persuaders saw the bazooka.

I remind you that he literally wrote the book on negotiating.

My best guess for why the High Ground maneuver works so well is that you are taking a person from the weeds of your disagreement to a place where they need to define who they are as a person. Our egos won’t let us define ourselves as small thinkers in front of a big thinker, so we try to keep up, running to the High Ground of our demise as quickly as we can.

Scott

Bonus thought: If you view the world in terms of goals, Trump has failed twice to be president. You expect him to fail a third time because that is the pattern he created. But viewed from a systems filter, Trump got the most practice running for president of anyone in the conversation.

Name one situation where practice doesn’t matter. Stop being surprised that the guy who practiced the most is performing the best. That is how systems thinkers play the long game. They fail toward a place of BETTER odds, not worse.

You can see more about systems being better than goals in my book on success.

In Top Tech Blog, if you surf, you want a motorized surfboard that doesn’t need waves. And yet another handheld health “scanning” device is here. This trend of miniaturized personal health scanners is huge. You will want this one.

The advantages to wall-mounted, modular shelving systems are myriad: They can be engineered to fit any space, and unlike built-ins, they can be disassembled and reinstalled if you relocate. Here’s a roundup of our finds.

Above: The iconic Vitsoe 606 Universal Shelving System, designed by Dieter Rams in 1960, is a favorite of design aficionados. The system offers infinite configurations: various shelf widths and lengths, drawers, and desks available to suit any storage needs. An aluminum E-track and pin enables the shelves and cabinets to be easily hung and configured as needed. The Vitsoe is an investment, but it’s a system you can add to over the years; the setup shown above costs $6,020; the cabinets run at around $1,000 each (four shown), and the shelves between $90 and $100, depending on length. Available in black, off-white, and beech, exclusively in the US through the Vitsoe Shop in New York and online at Vitsoe.

Above: Made in Brooklyn, the Atlas Industries as4 Shelving System is available in white oak, maple, and walnut with sturdy steel brackets (custom color paint is also an option). The 91-inch-wide white oak configuration with desk included above costs $9,525. Components are priced individually; the full pricing list is available on the Atlas site (along with an easy as4 Builder Guide).

Above: The wall-mounted Eiermann Shelving Unit was designed in 1932 by German architect Egon Eiermann. Now produced by Richard Lampert, the Eiermann shelves feature stainless steel supports and shelves available in white melamine, solid oak, and white powder-coated finish. The Five-Shelf Eiermann Shelving Unit is available at Twenty Twenty-One; pricing begins at £722 ($1,127). Contact Richard Lampert for details and retailers.

Above: The classical String shelf modular system was designed in 1946 by Swedish architect and designer Nils “Nisse” Strinning. The String Pocket Shelf is available for $195 in the US from Nordic Design. The full String Shelf System shown in oak and white above is available in the UK for £1,275 ($1,989) from Nest.

Above: The Aliante Shelving System by Rodolf Dordoni for Capellini is available with polished chromed nickel supports and shelves in oak or mahogany. The shelves are available directly through Cappellini and at Nest.co.uk for £2,130 ($3,322).

Above: The Helix White Oak 70-Inch Wall-Mounted Bookcase features four fixed blond quartersawn oak veneer shelves on a squared metal tube frame of powder-coated carbon that can be mounted across a wall. Each ladder is 30 inches wide and 70 inches in height; $199 from CB2.

Above: Favored by architects and widely used in university settings, the straightforward, well-engineered Rakks System offers well priced durable shelving manufactured in Needham, Massachusetts, by the Rangine Corporation. Components and pricing available at Rakks Store.

Paying respect to the original design of a beautiful construction and adding contemporary touches through the use of metal and concrete, 30 year old Brazilian architect Felipe Hess, together with Pia Quagliato, a collaborator in his firm, breathed new life to this 400 m² apartment in São Tomás in São Paulo, Brazil, designed by Bauhaus architect Franz Heep.

Recently an older musician acquaintance told me he never “got into ‘Interstellar Overdrive’ and all that,” referring to the “first major space jam” of Pink Floyd’s career and the subsequent explosion of space rock bands. I found myself a little taken aback. Though I was born too late to be there, I’ve come to see “’Interstellar Overdrive’ and all that” as one of the most interesting things about the end of the sixties—the coming of Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, of The Soft Machine, of Hawkwind and other psychedelic warriors.

Too oft overlooked in the popular Woodstock/Altamont binary shorthand for fin-de-sixties rock and roll, these bands’ brand of prog/jazz/blues/psych-rock experimentalism got its due in Amougies, Belgium, in a 1969 festival meant as Europe’s answer to the three-day “Aquarian exposition” staged in upstate New York that same year. Sponsored by Paris magazine Actuel, “The Actuel Rock Festival” featured all of the bands (except Hawkwind), along with Yes, Pharoah Sanders, Don Cherry, and many more. MC’ing the event, and serving as Beefheart’s manager, was none other than impresario of weird himself, Frank Zappa, who sat in with Floyd on “Interstellar Overdrive,” bringing his considerable lead guitar prowess to their dark, descending instrumental.

Just above, hear that Zappa/Floyd performance of the song. The live audio recording is fuzzy and a bit hollow, but the playing comes through perfectly clear. Zappa, in fact, jammed with nearly all the artists on the roster, though only a few recordings have surfaced, like this one from an audience member. Of their collaboration, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason said in 1973, “Frank Zappa is really one of those rare musicians that can play with us. The little he did in Amougies was terribly correct.” I think you’ll agree.

Dangerous Minds records many of Zappa’s recollections of the event, including a characteristically sardonic account he gave in an interview with The Simpsons’ Matt Groening in which he complains of feeling “like Linda McCartney” and about the scourge of “slumbering euro-hippies.” Zappa apparently did not remember jamming with Floyd but “the photos don’t lie and neither does the recording.” He does recall playing with Captain Beefheart, who says he himself “enjoyed it.” You can hear Beefheart’s set with Zappa above.

According to a biography of founding Pink Floyd singer and guitarist Syd Barrett—gone by the time of the festival—footage of the Zappa/Floyd jam exists, part of an unreleased documentary of the event by Gerome Laperrousaz. That film has yet to surface, it seems, but we do have the film above—slipping between black-and-white and color—of Pink Floyd playing “Green is the Colour,” “Careful With That Axe, Eugene,” and “Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun.” It’s a must watch if only for Roger Waters’ bone-chilling screams in the second song.

The festival is notable not only for these early performances of the newly Gilmour-fronted Pink Floyd, but also for the appearance of Aynsley Dunbar, future Zappa drummer and journeyman musician extraordinaire. Allegedly Zappa met Dunbar at the festival and was quite impressed with the latter’s jazz chops (though Dunbar first joined Zappa’s band on guitar before moving to drums). You can hear Zappa jam with his eventual star drummer’s band, Aynsley Dunbar’s Retaliation, above.

For the last couple of seasons we’ve been hearing intriguing urban-trouty rumours about the Bristol Frome, a little limestone river which rises in the rural Cotswolds and flows broadly south-west past the university quarter at Frenchay to meet the much larger Avon in the centre of Bristol.

So when we heard how respected competition angler (and confirmed urban big fish hunter)Robert Brown was marooned in Bristol with fishing wagon problems, far from the Wye & Usk Foundation waters where he’d really planned to be fishing…

… we wondered if he’d like to have his rubber arm twisted volunteer for a bit of urban exploration along the Frome Valley Walkway instead?

Challenge accepted, came back the answer. And here’s the brilliant report he sent us:

By the time I was able to visit the Frome, it was the end of June and not ideal conditions as it was dead low – barely a trickle – and quite clear. Not ideal conditions for fishing as there were few flies and a lot of trout could be in hiding. However, quite good for surveying as visibility was so good.

As it was trout were thin on the ground. I had 8 trout over 2 days fishing totalling about 10 hours. My first fish was quite a good one of about 2 1/4lb. This was also the biggest I saw; though I saw 2 others that were close to 2lb and had a fish of around 1.5lb. Most of the rest were about 30cm. All the smaller fish came out of the streamy water, whilst the bigger fish (pictured above) was stalked. With effort you could probably get more. I spent quite a lot of my time chasing the abundant dace and chub. This was quite fun and I even had a bream, but that probably gives you a good idea of the kind of water it is – perfect for dace and chub, with the odd trout.

The river bed is about 20 feet wide on average and where there is flow mostly very shallow. Mostly this water doesn’t have the depth trout would require where it is in a natural state. However, being post industrial it is regularly impounded by weirs with long flats resulting. Again not ideal trout water, though the weir pools mostly have the odd trout in them.

What I couldn’t help noticing was the heavy angling pressure. There were several people fishing on the days I visited. Mostly bait fisherman, but I did meet one fly fisherman. Even the coarse fish are most common in the areas that are inaccessible and/or private. It was very noticeable that such areas had a lot more fish. However, as there is a path among most of the river, and much of it is in public parks, such areas are few and very difficult to access.

As it was, the river was heaving with both people and dogs, being public parkland. No doubt you know the kind of place, but I still don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere with so many dog walkers. It is like all the world’s dog walkers have converged here for some kind of international convention. They arrive in fleets of vans each filled with cages of dogs. It is manic. Compared with here rivers like the Calder, Colne and Irwell really do feel like wildernesses.

To be fair, I probably didn’t see the river at its best – it would have been nice to go one evening, or earlier in the season; or when it had more water. Or there was some kind of hatch.

If you do visit then there are car parks at Oldbury Park and Snuff Mills with good access to the water. Snuff Mills seems to be a hot spot with fish to 5lb reported from the weir pool there on bait. Further down the top part of Eastville Park is nice water, but hammered by anglers as I’ve mentioned above.

There’s a new version of Google Patents that’s available at patents.google.com. The interface now uses Material Design, there’s a checkbox that lets you search Google Scholar, advanced search options are available in the sidebar and you can quickly navigate between search results, which are now grouped by category. The prior art finder is now properly integrated and no longer uses a different interface.

You can now click the navigation icons at the top of the page to go to the previous or the next search result. Keyboard shortcuts also work: use the left/right arrow keys.

“The new Google Patents helps users find non-patent prior art by cataloguing it, using the same scheme that applies to patents. We’ve trained a machine classification model to classify everything found in Google Scholar using Cooperative Patent Classification codes. Now users can search for [autonomous vehicles] or [email encryption] and find prior art across patents, technical journals, scientific books, and more,” informs Google.

Another change is that you can search for foreign patent documents using English keywords. Patents without English full text are translated using Google Translate, so it’s easier to find them.

It’s interesting to notice that the old Google Patents is still available if you use this URL: http://ift.tt/Nnnbks.

Netflix and HBO know what you did last summer. And they know you’re still doing it this summer. The sharing of login credentials is so widespread that the big streaming players are losing hundreds of millions a year. So why don’t they stop us? Two reasons: It’s all about growth at this point. And no one has come up with a way to limit credential sharing without hurting the customer experience.

As the anecdote goes: the best camera is the one you have with you. We hit up Yopoosh, one of the most impressive iPhone photographers on Instagram, to learn the tricks of the trade. As you might expect, he has quite a considerable arsenal of apps to help elevate his iPhone photos into DSLR-quality images.

Check out his recommendations below, then get-to snappin’.

Snapseed

This is my primary app for every photo, allowing me to fine tune the basic essentials including contrast, ambiance, highlights/shadows, brightness and saturation. The best feature on this app is the selective adjust – super helpful for focusing on specific colors/highlights of my images that I want to either stray attention from or put emphasis on. For example, I usually desaturate the warm tones in my street photos.

Boosting up the detail in sharpness and structure (very lightly!) can help bring out the best in your photo and achieve a DSLR look as well. I would say this is the primary go-to app for achieving a DSLR look just because of the customization with selective adjust.

The next app in order for editing my photos – I primarily use VSCO for tones. You can implement so many different tonal ranges into your images but it’s also easy to overdo it with this app – creating a harsh overtone with super faded shadows and really low highlights that I feel can do the opposite of achieving a DSLR look on your images. Playing around with the level of applied preset is good to balance out the tones and ensure that it’s not overdone. When you compare the presets and VSCO tools available on Lightroom with the VSCO app, it’s amazing what you can achieve.

I use this app for various reasons: mainly to create juxtaposed images where I place an image of a person on top of an image of a landscape for example, and use the masking mode to cut the person out and place them into a new environment. It’s basically Photoshop in your pocket (with a lot more work and patience required). But I also use this when I have two different edited photos that I can’t decide on which one I prefer, and then I just play with the overlay percentage to get a little bit of both tones/colors in the images.

This is probably the best app for achieving a DSLR look in regards to bokeh. You can apply subtle and heavy bokeh looks to any images to create a depth of field that is usually only achieved with an actual DSLR or film camera. It’s amazing what you can achieve with this app – perfect for portraits to create emphasis on your subject.

One of the more popular features on a DSLR is long-exposure nighttime shots that create a dreamy light trail. It’s also good in low-light situations but for both occasions, you have to have a tripod adapter for your phone. I use a Glif tripod mount & stand that easily catches onto my DSLR tripod, it’s super small and easy to carry around and install onto your tripod. If you add on a sandbag or something heavy to your tripod to reduce shake, you can truly achieve some high-quality-long exposure shots with an iPhone.

Take your final photo into Snapseed and tune the image to get a high quality DSLR look.

My go-to app for low-light situations and nighttime photography. This is similar to Slowshutter in the sense that it ultimately keeps the shutter of the camera open, but this allows a little bit more control for low-light situations and nighttime photography. You choose the number of photos you want the camera to take, and then the app will overlay all the photos and compress them into a single image, resulting in more detail and light that the native camera on the iPhone would not be able to achieve. It’s like setting your DSLR lens to 1.4 for low-light situations. But you also need a tripod and no shaking!

Overall, achieving a DSLR look is more than possible on your iPhone. Aside from the benefit of the high-quality built-in camera, the apps available allow full control on editing all aspects of your image as you would on your computer with Lightroom or Photoshop. Of course, it won’t be quite as good as a DSLR but it can still fool many people.

The best feature on the native iPhone camera is the AE/AF lock, and tapping on darks/whites of an image to allow the camera to reprocess the ISO and focus. It goes without saying, you don’t get the full control/customization as a manual DSLR but this can make a huge difference in your photo from being extremely washed-out in bright situations to too dark in low-light situations. It’s just an extra little touch on the iPhone camera that brings your images that much closer to looking and feeling like a DSLR.

White Mountaineering has teamed up with Japanese watch brand Seiko. This season they have chosen to work on the very unique looking Seiko Spirit chronograph, originally designed by Italian automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. Th watch comes with an interesting bracelet and limited to only 700 pieces worldwide, the White Mountaineering x Seiko “Spirit” watch will release in the coming weeks.(Read…)

Glasgow-based watch providers INSTRMNT launched late last year with the introduction of the INSTRMNT 01, a minimalistic watch that bears old school design elements and functionality. The cool thing about the brand is that they use one of the last remaining leather strap manufacturers in the Bavarian Forest. This particularity visual by INSTRMNT highlights how their watches are made, specifically zeroing in on the strap construction. Thick cuts of full calf leather are utilized, as the new range of wristwear now boasts fresh PVD coating and a Swiss Quartz Ronda 385H movement.

Upon checking out the video above, you can then shop INSTRMNT new collection online.

If you’re more of a digital watch fan, follow here to our recent guide on some of the best options for men.

Thankfully there are a number of sites dedicated to conveying investment advice that is actually worthwhile. The exceptional sites listed below can serve as resources for those looking to invest wisely and gradually accumulate wealth.

Big Picture: Barry Ritholtz remains one of the most insightful and honest financial commentators out there (as well as a tremendous source of morning reading).

Bogleheads Forum: This free community of Bogleheads contains a massive amount of information on every topic imaginable, and is a great place to start for anyone looking to develop a greater understanding of investing.

Coffeehouse Investor: This site is run by fee-only advisor Bill Schultheis, who is guided by the ideathat investors are best off when they do a little bit of planning and a lot of enjoying and experiencing life.

Crossing Wall Street: Named the “best buy-and-hold blogger” by CNN Money, Eddy Elfenbein is a great source for both daily reading and long-term investing insight.

Dividend Mantra: Jason Fieber, a passionate investor and “frugalist,” writes about his journey to financial independence through consistent savings and smart investing. In addition to updates on his portfolio, Jason shares detailed information about his monthly budgets and savings rate.

Investor’s Field Guide: Patrick O’Shaughnessy is a portfolio manager who has written extensively about investor behavior and authored a book on investing strategies for today’s younger generations.

Jason Zweig: The longtime personal finance columnist (currently at The Wall Street Journal) is one of the more thoughtful writers working for a major media outlet. Jason’s personal site is home to anoutstanding collection of his best pieces.

Larry Swedroe: The director of research for the BAM Alliance is one of the most intelligent voices in the financial industry, who distills complex studies and research projects into actionable advice for all types of investors.

Oblivious Investor: Mike Piper is a CPA and author of several books, with a gift for illustrating just how simple investing should be. His Investing 101 summary is a great starting point for those with little experience.

Reformed Broker: Josh Brown is the CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, on-air contributor to CNBC’s “The Halftime Report,” and author of a couple of books. His reputation for providing honest insights about the wealth management industry has made him one of the most widely followed voices in the business.

Rick Ferri: Rick is the founder of Portfolio Solutions and author of several books. He is one of themost vocal proponents of low-cost indexing and general common sense investing.

Wealth of Common Sense: Ben Carlson is an institutional money manager who excels at breaking down complex investing topics into concise, easy-to-understand discussions.

Not everyone can afford a bespoke suit, or even a top-end ready-to-wear one. But there are many things you can do on any budget to improve the look of your tailoring.

1. Buy conservative

If a suit isn’t of the greatest quality, make sure it doesn’t bring attention to itself in any other way. So buy single-breasted, notch-lapel, 2 or 3-button, plain grey or navy suits. Bright colours or patterns might seem like a good option for a cheaper product, but they will only highlight poor materials.

2. Ignore fashion

A similar recommendation goes for fashions. Watch out for lapels that are too thin, jackets that are too short or trousers that are too skinny. Not only does this bring attention to the suit, again, but it potentially shortens the suit’s life if things become unfashionable or your tastes change. And if the suit only lasts two years you might as well have spent twice as much on one that would last four.

Remember, there’s nothing wrong with a suit that goes unnoticed. Indeed to some students of elegance, good clothing should always do that. One should give the basic impression of being well dressed, but nothing more.

3. Buy for longevity

Many readers tell me they have been following Permanent Style for years. They often recount the pleasures of investments that accumulate, building up a quality wardrobe that only gets better as good things last longer. I’m sure they would all tell you to buy the best suit you can, and then to plan for longevity.

Ways to make your suit last longer include buying two pairs of trousers; brushing it down after every wear; hanging/packing it carefully; only dry cleaning it every 6 months to a year; and not wearing it when you’re raging-steaming-falling-down-oh-there-go-my-legs drunk.

4. Have it altered

I say this all the time, but it bears repeating: find a decent alterations tailor and spend the money to have one or two adjustments made. The jacket should fit on the shoulders and neck primarily, and can then be altered in the body to fit. If there are big issues that affect the overall style of the suit – such as the width of the trousers – this might also be worth spending money on.

5. Wear decent accessories

Again, effectively a way to push the suit into the background. Don’t buy cheap, loud ties. Invest in decent English-made shoes (and look after them properly too). Perhaps find some nice little touches that can be worn every day.

A friend of mine wears a vintage watch and his grandfather’s gold cufflinks every day. The first was a birthday present, the second an heirloom. Neither cost him anything, but they elevate his business wear every single day. Such are the pleasures of being a man.

If you like exploring London’s lesser-known pubs, bookmark this page now.

We asked for your help in identifying the best pubs in the outer boroughs, officially defined as those labelled in the map below:

We received dozens of nominations via the comments box, Facebook and Twitter hashtag #OuterLondonPubs. Below, we’ve rounded up all qualifying suggestions, filed by borough, and with links to the pub websites. See the bottom of the article for info on a pub crawl we might put together if there’s interest.

The best pubs in Outer London

The important thing to remember here is that different people look for different things in a good pub. Some of these suggestions will not be to everyone’s taste but, in every case, at least one reader recommended the place. We’ve included quotes where given. Thank you to everyone for the suggestions, including those of you whose suggested pubs were technically Inner London, and so are not included here. We still welcome additions in the comments below. As we explore the suggestions, we’ll add them to our growing database of Best London Pubs.

CROYDONGlamorgan, Croydon. “Surely the best pub in Croydon. Fine food with a S African twist, good range of beers and good wine list.”Oval Tavern, Croydon (4 nominations). “Great beer, food and live entertainment, and wonderful landlady.”

REDBRIDGECuckfield, Wanstead (3 nominations).The Duke, Wanstead (2 nominations). “A fun and friendly local with awesome food and service.”The George, WansteadThe Nightingale, Wanstead. “A real old grimy local pub with atmosphere and character (as well as local characters).”Rose and Crown, Woodford Green.Travellers Friend, Woodford Green. “Shortlisted for CAMRA local pub of the year.”

Pub crawl of some outer London boozers

Want to join us exploring a handful of the best pubs in Outer London? We’re going to attempt at least one in each of the four cardinal compass points on Saturday 27 June. Email matt@londonist.com if you’d like to come along. The day will involve a lot of travelling, so only come along if you’re prepared for that.

Previous Pub Crawls

A list of previous areas and themes that we’ve put to public vote. See our database of the Best London Pubs for more.

Celebrating 65 years of the iconic Desert Boot, Clarks Originals has teamed up with Herschel Supply to produce a fresh take on the famous crepe-soled silhouette. First worn by off-duty British servicemen abroad, the Desert Boot has been doing the rounds since 1949 — it’s truly a timeless style. Herschel Supply’s rendition remains pretty much true to the classic, offered in navy and grey premium suede.
Key detailing includes a monochromatic rubber crepe sole, silicone-dipped cotton lace aglets and the introduction of a welt-stitched premium pebbled leather split tongue. A padded collar lined with quality chambray and custom interior branding round out this modern interpretation of an icon.

The extension of the Overground this weekend will open up fresh areas of London that previously didn’t exist. Entire new social playgrounds will be unlocked, brimming with retail, cocktail and clubbing possibilities, and all because there are now orange trains from somewhere central every quarter of an hour or so. Here then are ten places we’d never heard of before, but which are now our favourite special recommendations on the fast train to Party Central. London Overground, we salute you!

Cambridge HeathFor Varsity-themed entertainment, this vibrant London suburb has much to commend itself. College types love to mingle with the smart set in the hub zone by the crossroads, perhaps getting their bicycle fixed at Figarude or picking up vintage bargains at Frockney Rebel. As a bonus Hackney Road is widely known for its handbag wholesalers, which we think you’re going to love, offering a multiplicity of top deals on unique, hand-crafted, capacious accessories. Or simply stop off in the shadow of the famous Mare Street gasholders, arabica bean latte in hand, and soak in the edgy vibe.

London FieldsJust three stops out of Liverpool Street, this newly-created neighbourhood boasts a truly pastoral attitude to life. Hackney’s London Fields are a tree-lined Elysian expanse spread out beneath the railway viaduct, featuring a wild flower meadow and a conveniently located set of public lavatories. Create a splash by stripping off at the Lido, or drop into the railway arches for nutritious sourdough, seeded rye or rugbrøt from the E5 Bakehouse. If you’re feeling adventurous, a short stroll takes you to Broadway Market, a canalside shopping parade whose bohemian schtick and streetwares are, we think, about to become very popular.

Rectory RoadRectory Road’s semi-rural platforms deliver you deep into unspoilt suburbia. There’s space in the elongated ticket hall for a organic kiosk, or dry-cleaning pop-up, whose imminent appearance surely can’t be too far away. Residents buy their exotic fruit and comestibles from the excellently-named Local Express, a veritable bazaar of global goods, while weekend entertainment is provided by the United Reformed Church on the corner of Evering Road, whose Vision4Life sessions are ever-popular with young and old alike. Coffee shops are in short supply hereabouts, however, so best buy your flat white at Liverpool Street and bring it with you.

Bruce GroveIn its commanding location on the High Road, this must-visit location truly delivers. If it’s gold you’re after, family-owned Erbiller Jewellers will buy your stash in any condition, while nextdoor at Shoe Zone the ‘£3 off’ summer deal on sandals is going down a storm. Those in the know, however, are to be found picking over the exclusive vegetables outside the Bruce Grove Supermarket & Meat Market, or getting makeover tips from the adjacent Cosmetics outlet while soft reggae gently plays. Turn up on the right day and you can look round Bruce Castle Museum in the park at the end of the road, although it’s not actually a castle, and they don’t appear to have a cafe, so maybe don’t bother.

Silver StreetEven the name reeks of wealth and luxury. Lovers of bling should make tracks to the banks of the North Circular, if not to rifle through the trinkets round the back of Lidl, then at least to take a selfie of themselves in front of the station sign. But we recommend a trip across the railings to Pymmes Park, for what else, but a jug of the finest fruit-topped alcoholic beverage. The bar at the boarded-up Pymmes Park Inn will we’re sure be reopening soon, for what must be a well-deserved makeover, and if not then at least it’ll make some lovely two-bed apartments you can move into later.

Bush Hill ParkOne stop before somewhere called Enfield, this overlooked suburban enclave is preparing for a rush of visitors. Staff at the Sainsbury’s Local by the station await the discerning shopper, while the turreted Bush Hill Park Hotel has several pumps of branded lagers ready and waiting. One offer that’s sure to be popular is at the B-Chic Hair & Beauty Boutique, where a cut and finish with Alberto is only £10 (terms and conditions apply). But to fully grasp the area’s beating green heart head north to the open space of Bush Hill Park, whose lengthy horse chestnut avenue is the equal of any to be seen elsewhere in London.

Turkey StreetAlmost on the edge of the capital, if such a place exists, this former country lane leads west from the renowned Freezywater Shopping Centre. Here the Squirrel House Chinese takeaway features a menu full of surprises, the Blessed Launderette offers a devoted while-you-wait ironing service, and the Cyprus Corner Meze Bar rightly proclaims ‘Welcome to Tasty’. If foodies can ever tear themselves away, the delights of the Turkey Brook linear park await. This minor streamlet tracks the roadside for almost quarter of a mile to the Gateway Open Space, where a sculpture of an amphibian-topped egg can be freely photographed. Weary visitors can then retreat to the First Choice Off Licence for some much needed refreshment.

Wood StreetIf it’s cosmopolitan chic you crave, then a sojourn in E17’s Wood Street might be enough to recharge your retail batteries. Untroubled by high street chains, its independent stores offer a wider range of lifestyle options for the kitchen cupboard, mantlepiece or shed. Agombar’s quality shoes rarely disappoint, while few craft icing quite so stylishly as Wood Street Market’s bespoke cake artist. Don’t miss the amazing Mural of Fictional History at the top of the street, while for sheer architectural panache, the bleak windswept concrete blocks snaking between the Co-op and the Post Office are hard to beat.

Highams ParkLurking unnoticed on the Chingford borders, Highams Park exists within a dapper bubble of gentility that few have ever pierced. The first evidence of culture is Not Quite The End of the Line, a pop-up shop on the southbound platform which sells penny sweets and handmade vintage greetings cards in aid of the Highams Park Society. Other bijou outlets clustered around the iconic level crossing include The Village Florist, everybody’s favourite V&A Books and Gifts, and the TOWIE-friendly Fakin’ It tanning salon. Only your own recreational inertia is preventing you from making tracks to this unique and on-trend urban village.

Emerson ParkApparently this station lurks somewhere between Romford and Upminster, but we at Time Out have never reported on anything east of Barking and we have no intention of starting now. A friend’s gran told us there’s a chippie called Oh My Cod! at the top of the ramp, and a neighbouring shop that sells Fireplaces and Stoves, but they sound ghastly and we certainly won’t be visiting any time soon. If you have the misfortune to live out here in this godforsaken wasteland, our apologies, and we hope you get the disposable income together to move somewhere more achingly hip as soon as possible.

Next week, we retreat to Camden, Peckham, Hoxton and Clapham, as per usual.

Anyone who’s been there won’t need us to tell them that all that is far from the mark. Far better to consider the suburb’s famous sons and daughters: Bridget Riley; Sam Taylor-Johnson; Samuel Coleridge Taylor; Kirsty MacColl; the alumni of Croydon College of Art, such as Ray Davies, Malcolm McLaren, Jamie Reid, Mervyn Peake, Noel Fielding, Kate Moss and FKA Twigs.

And that is exactly what authors John Grindrod (Concretopia), Andy Miller (The Year Of Reading Dangerously) and Bob Stanley (also Saint Etienne’s keyboard player) will be doing. The trio will be considering the virtues of the environs of 2009’s Greenest Large City in two evenings of readings, debate and celebration of suburbia, covering books, films, music, buildings and art.

All three have a close association with Croydon — it has influenced their writing, and the way they see the world — so expect a love-in about the Fairfield Halls, the Beano record shop (RIP), the Whitgift Centre, Lunar House, and even the New Addington estate.